CIRCA 1903 HANDWRITTEN DIARY RAILROAD SURVEYOR OHIO KY WYOMING 132 PHOTOS ALBUM
Item History & Price
Up for auction is a rare archive that belonged to Alfred A. Appling. He was from Columbus Ohio and lead a fascinating life as a surveyor for several railroads. He traveled the country and wrote about some of his experiences in great detail in two diaries. In addition to the diaries is a photo album that acts as a photographic record of his journeys across the United States. Interestingly some of the entries of the diary correspond to photos depicted in the album. More about the album b...elow.
The diary gives rare insight into how difficult it was to survey in locations that were fairly remote at the time. Especially on the boarder with Kentucky and Ohio. The album shows other locations like Wyoming that are not mentioned in the diary. The diary is folio sized, and measures 10 x 8 inches. It contains 178 double sided pages of content.
Appling writes in bold ink and his script with easy to decipher handwriting. He begins his diary in the small community of Linwood, Ohio April 26, 1903. His final entry is Dec 27, 1904 just outside of Terre Haute Indiana. His writing style is at times direct and matter of fact. He mentions survey work attending school and traveling a great deal. Other entries and content are much more reveling. For example he describes the different ethnic groups working as laborers on the railroad. In many cases Italian immigrants picked up these jobs. Appling uses the derogatory term “ Dagoes” several passages he also mentions Austrian Hungarian laborers.
He writes of several cases about taking injured men to see the doctor. He also contracts Malaria while working on a U.S. Govt. river survey along the boarder with Kentucky. He suffers from the symptoms for some time, and writes about this in detail. A good portion of the diary takes place along the Ohio river via steamboat he mentions the boats, captains, and indeed there are photos in the album of the exact boat showing the crew interior shots all with captions that correspond to his text.
The photo album:
The album contains 130 photos from 1903-1907 all glued to the heavy gray paper and the majority are captioned in pencil. The sizes of the prints vary from 4x4, 5x6, 3x3. Many photos are rare one of a kind images, and several photos correspond with entries in his diary. For example he mentions a train wreck in Indiana , and there is a group of four photos of that wreck in the album. The album shows what he calls the Big 4 some sort of rail project. He may have been involved in surveying land for bridges. Several photos depict scenes in remote Wyoming, camps on the Powder River and others of railroad construction on the Chicago North Western( CNWRY ).
Other photos show Italian immigrant laborers working along the tracks. As I mentioned the steamboat he writes about in his diary is shown as well as badlands, a saloon tent, Negro cabin Louisiana, and work on the Illinois Central and much more. There are great depictions of rural life photos of surveying crews, and photos of Alfred A. Appling surveying. The condition of the album is fair to good. Many of the sheets are coming lose several photos are faded some show tears, no odor is associated with any items.
Extras: ( two diaries and bible ) Also included is a bible that belonged to his wife. Another small diary circa 1907 kept by Appling while surveying full of one liner entries. I estimate at least 20 double sided pages. In addition is a travel diary from 1920's to Europe with 6 double sided pages filled out. This diary mentions New York, Glasgow, and Paris. This appears to be written by another family member perhaps his wife. I added some brief excerpts from the 1903-1904 diary. This is a mere fraction of the content I didn't add any quotes from the travel diary or the brief 1907 diary. If you would like more info or want to see some more photos of his album feel free to ask.
April 4 , 1903
Walked to Linwood at 7 am met the log men at the broken bridge. Nearby Ferris men were taking a picture of the wreck made arrangements to get one of the pictures of Glover Pasture Ave reported at office at 8 um measured fill in am and helped Brody on time books in pm.
May 13, 1903
Bossed gang of “ Dagoes” all day while digging hole for foundation of scales at Underercliff come home 6:30 15c expected weather warm and clear returned 9:15 pm lesson on formulas sent to Scranton school.
June 6, 1903
Reported for work 8am worked with A.W. Heyer on curve near glass works Columbia watched the glass blowers at noon worked on curve in pm called to see Mr. Whipple on my way home rode home at 6:15 on RG & P weather clear and exceedingly cool retired 9pm;
June 30, 1903
Reported for work at 7:20 helped locate switch for ladder am won dollar from Coller on 1904 dollar bet worked on profile of Clare in PM came home at 6;45 rode up with Burns weather warm and clear walked up to Cedar Point in evening and got a bottle of wine for W.H.S and stood on bridge and talked to F.F. Coffey Sharley Jonson and F Maddaux.
July 29.1903
Reported for work at 6:30 am worked on reports and on ladder up to 11:30 am went to town talked to men in Govt building about going out on Corps come to Linwood at 4 pm deposited $ 5.00 and left bank book at bank collected $ 10.00 from Rapkin Called Dickson's and take to Saua.
July 7, 1903
Packed trunk and sent it away in am went to town at 9 am and made arrangements to go on river survey went to Linwood to se and tell fellows good bye cam home 5:30 retired 10 pm
Aug 1, 1903
Reported at U.S. boat foot of main st 8:30 made trip down river to Aurora weather cool retired 8:30 pm.
Aug 6, 1903
Started to work 7 am Run base line on Ky shore Boone Co. Quit work 2:30 went swimming off of fish box float weather clear all warm. Aft take with Hayes resolved to investigate U.S. topographical survey. Sat on deck of” Edna “and talked steam-boating with Capt. ( The Louisville finest boat on river burns 24 bushels of coal in 24 hours.
Aug 8, 1903
Run baseline on Ky Shore near Mcbille Ky ate dinner just below the town went up and visited town and talked to natives during noon hour was told that bottomland in that locality sold for $ 100.00 per acre and hill land 10-40 in the town of Mobile that have 5 mos school and pay teachers $ 20.00 per month quit work at 2:30 arrived at Aurora went up 5 pm got shaved and went to fair grounds to picnic 50 c expended for refreshments retired 11p, weather cool and clean.
Aug 12, 1903
Started to work at 7:30 am run base line on KY shore below R.S. quit work at 12 pm arrived at boat 12:30 Received later from Kate Wood completed instructions paper on Geom and Trig wrote letters to Clinton Irons visited school house after supper * resolved “ that I will from this date on discontinue the use of all narcotics” 32 cents expended for stamps.
Aug 15, 1903
Started work on US” Edna” at 7 am arrived opposite Months landing 8 am run over two miles of base line quit work at 3 pm arrived quarter boat 4:30 weather clear and hot heard how Samuel Clemens called himself Mark Twain. Took a walk up town after supper and expended 56 cents for refreshments laundry and socks wrote and studied.
Aug 28, 1903
Arose 6 am did not eat any breakfast rode over on Edna to Warsaw and saw Dr. Rowlett he examined me gave me medicine and said I perhaps had Malaria. Staid in Warsaw unity 2pm ate dinner at Mrs Weldon's where I ate two years ago feeling very badly all day.
Sept 3, 1903
Ghent Ky , Rode to work on Edna at 7 am first registered letter to Mammi worked with water slope party walked back 2 miles at noon to get the gauge river rising rose 1:05 feet in 8 hours ate grapes and watermelons had much fever bathed head in ice water noticed pretty towns along river also houses, arrived at J.B. 6:30 pm walked up town and smoked cigar 25 c expended for liver pills registered and cigar. weather hot and clear feeling better Recd letter from A.W.T.
Sept 22, 1903
Rowed to work at 7 am run 2 miles of baseline nearly opposite Hanover Ind quit work 1 pm took swim ate watermelons rowed across river to fishermen camp got apples and big fish hook for Anton arrived at D.B. 5 pm read and studied 1 hour weather clear and warm Recd letters from W.E. Madding and Elva O retired 9:45 pm ate to much.
The diary gives rare insight into how difficult it was to survey in locations that were fairly remote at the time. Especially on the boarder with Kentucky and Ohio. The album shows other locations like Wyoming that are not mentioned in the diary. The diary is folio sized, and measures 10 x 8 inches. It contains 178 double sided pages of content.
Appling writes in bold ink and his script with easy to decipher handwriting. He begins his diary in the small community of Linwood, Ohio April 26, 1903. His final entry is Dec 27, 1904 just outside of Terre Haute Indiana. His writing style is at times direct and matter of fact. He mentions survey work attending school and traveling a great deal. Other entries and content are much more reveling. For example he describes the different ethnic groups working as laborers on the railroad. In many cases Italian immigrants picked up these jobs. Appling uses the derogatory term “ Dagoes” several passages he also mentions Austrian Hungarian laborers.
He writes of several cases about taking injured men to see the doctor. He also contracts Malaria while working on a U.S. Govt. river survey along the boarder with Kentucky. He suffers from the symptoms for some time, and writes about this in detail. A good portion of the diary takes place along the Ohio river via steamboat he mentions the boats, captains, and indeed there are photos in the album of the exact boat showing the crew interior shots all with captions that correspond to his text.
The photo album:
The album contains 130 photos from 1903-1907 all glued to the heavy gray paper and the majority are captioned in pencil. The sizes of the prints vary from 4x4, 5x6, 3x3. Many photos are rare one of a kind images, and several photos correspond with entries in his diary. For example he mentions a train wreck in Indiana , and there is a group of four photos of that wreck in the album. The album shows what he calls the Big 4 some sort of rail project. He may have been involved in surveying land for bridges. Several photos depict scenes in remote Wyoming, camps on the Powder River and others of railroad construction on the Chicago North Western( CNWRY ).
Other photos show Italian immigrant laborers working along the tracks. As I mentioned the steamboat he writes about in his diary is shown as well as badlands, a saloon tent, Negro cabin Louisiana, and work on the Illinois Central and much more. There are great depictions of rural life photos of surveying crews, and photos of Alfred A. Appling surveying. The condition of the album is fair to good. Many of the sheets are coming lose several photos are faded some show tears, no odor is associated with any items.
Extras: ( two diaries and bible ) Also included is a bible that belonged to his wife. Another small diary circa 1907 kept by Appling while surveying full of one liner entries. I estimate at least 20 double sided pages. In addition is a travel diary from 1920's to Europe with 6 double sided pages filled out. This diary mentions New York, Glasgow, and Paris. This appears to be written by another family member perhaps his wife. I added some brief excerpts from the 1903-1904 diary. This is a mere fraction of the content I didn't add any quotes from the travel diary or the brief 1907 diary. If you would like more info or want to see some more photos of his album feel free to ask.
April 4 , 1903
Walked to Linwood at 7 am met the log men at the broken bridge. Nearby Ferris men were taking a picture of the wreck made arrangements to get one of the pictures of Glover Pasture Ave reported at office at 8 um measured fill in am and helped Brody on time books in pm.
May 13, 1903
Bossed gang of “ Dagoes” all day while digging hole for foundation of scales at Underercliff come home 6:30 15c expected weather warm and clear returned 9:15 pm lesson on formulas sent to Scranton school.
June 6, 1903
Reported for work 8am worked with A.W. Heyer on curve near glass works Columbia watched the glass blowers at noon worked on curve in pm called to see Mr. Whipple on my way home rode home at 6:15 on RG & P weather clear and exceedingly cool retired 9pm;
June 30, 1903
Reported for work at 7:20 helped locate switch for ladder am won dollar from Coller on 1904 dollar bet worked on profile of Clare in PM came home at 6;45 rode up with Burns weather warm and clear walked up to Cedar Point in evening and got a bottle of wine for W.H.S and stood on bridge and talked to F.F. Coffey Sharley Jonson and F Maddaux.
July 29.1903
Reported for work at 6:30 am worked on reports and on ladder up to 11:30 am went to town talked to men in Govt building about going out on Corps come to Linwood at 4 pm deposited $ 5.00 and left bank book at bank collected $ 10.00 from Rapkin Called Dickson's and take to Saua.
July 7, 1903
Packed trunk and sent it away in am went to town at 9 am and made arrangements to go on river survey went to Linwood to se and tell fellows good bye cam home 5:30 retired 10 pm
Aug 1, 1903
Reported at U.S. boat foot of main st 8:30 made trip down river to Aurora weather cool retired 8:30 pm.
Aug 6, 1903
Started to work 7 am Run base line on Ky shore Boone Co. Quit work 2:30 went swimming off of fish box float weather clear all warm. Aft take with Hayes resolved to investigate U.S. topographical survey. Sat on deck of” Edna “and talked steam-boating with Capt. ( The Louisville finest boat on river burns 24 bushels of coal in 24 hours.
Aug 8, 1903
Run baseline on Ky Shore near Mcbille Ky ate dinner just below the town went up and visited town and talked to natives during noon hour was told that bottomland in that locality sold for $ 100.00 per acre and hill land 10-40 in the town of Mobile that have 5 mos school and pay teachers $ 20.00 per month quit work at 2:30 arrived at Aurora went up 5 pm got shaved and went to fair grounds to picnic 50 c expended for refreshments retired 11p, weather cool and clean.
Aug 12, 1903
Started to work at 7:30 am run base line on KY shore below R.S. quit work at 12 pm arrived at boat 12:30 Received later from Kate Wood completed instructions paper on Geom and Trig wrote letters to Clinton Irons visited school house after supper * resolved “ that I will from this date on discontinue the use of all narcotics” 32 cents expended for stamps.
Aug 15, 1903
Started work on US” Edna” at 7 am arrived opposite Months landing 8 am run over two miles of base line quit work at 3 pm arrived quarter boat 4:30 weather clear and hot heard how Samuel Clemens called himself Mark Twain. Took a walk up town after supper and expended 56 cents for refreshments laundry and socks wrote and studied.
Aug 28, 1903
Arose 6 am did not eat any breakfast rode over on Edna to Warsaw and saw Dr. Rowlett he examined me gave me medicine and said I perhaps had Malaria. Staid in Warsaw unity 2pm ate dinner at Mrs Weldon's where I ate two years ago feeling very badly all day.
Sept 3, 1903
Ghent Ky , Rode to work on Edna at 7 am first registered letter to Mammi worked with water slope party walked back 2 miles at noon to get the gauge river rising rose 1:05 feet in 8 hours ate grapes and watermelons had much fever bathed head in ice water noticed pretty towns along river also houses, arrived at J.B. 6:30 pm walked up town and smoked cigar 25 c expended for liver pills registered and cigar. weather hot and clear feeling better Recd letter from A.W.T.
Sept 22, 1903
Rowed to work at 7 am run 2 miles of baseline nearly opposite Hanover Ind quit work 1 pm took swim ate watermelons rowed across river to fishermen camp got apples and big fish hook for Anton arrived at D.B. 5 pm read and studied 1 hour weather clear and warm Recd letters from W.E. Madding and Elva O retired 9:45 pm ate to much.
